CES 2014 will build on last year's trends, including 3D printing and wearable tech

CES 2014: Home Automation and the Car

While we have often been focused on the living room as the big prize that companies like Sony, Microsoft, Apple and Google are fighting over, the battlefield has actually been growing larger. Thanks to embedded Wi-Fi chips and other “smart” technology, consumers can now interact with everything from appliances to lighting and thermostats using a smartphone, tablet or PC.

Samsung — already a manufacturer of home appliances, TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets and a smartwatch — is looking to put those pieces together with its Smart Home platform. Expect to see home automation to be a big focus at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014.

Another battleground in mobile connectivity is the car. Apple has had the auto integration market largely to itself with the iPhone, but at CES 2014, Audiannounced a partnership with Google to bring Android to the car.